An experimental analysis of intelligibility and efficiency of in-vehicle route guidance system displays

This study focuses on the user-interface of the route guidance system with an electronic map display. The ultimate goal of the study is to aid in designing electronic map displays that can deliver information to the user most efficiently and expeditiously with minimum confusion. To evaluate the efficiency and understandability of a map display, laboratory experiments were designed and conducted in this study. In the experiments the subjects were presented with electronic map displays of different attributes and performed a set of tasks. Their understanding of the information contents was measured based on the outcomes of the tasks, and subjective ratings of the ease of using the maps were obtained. Using the experimental data obtained, a structural equations model system is developed to explain the understandability of a map display in terms of the subject’s attributes and the characteristics of the map display. The experimental procedure and the modeling results are presented in this paper.     

Developing the logical cross-sectoral framework of local SDGs project targeting safety and sustainability

Localization of sustainable development goals (SDGs) was given a boost at the 2019 Seville commitment, which highlighted the importance of local governments on sustainability. Various cities worldwide are at different stages of the localization program. Therefore, in this paper, we discuss two small cities in India that have advanced towards collectively achieving certain targets in SDGs 3, 9, and 11, despite having a small budget, limited human resources, and less international exposure. By utilizing the plan, do, access or analyze, report, and utilize (PDARU) cycle and logic model, we accessed the methods that led to the development of SDG-oriented street designs. The findings show that consensus building of different stakeholders eases data collection and analysis. Residents are adamant to adopt SDGs, but once they are sensitized, they become willing to contribute towards their realization. This exchange of ideas among different government sectors and the residents depicts a cross-sectoral cooperation that is a backbone in localizing SDGs. Despite the fact that social and environmental issues are more dire today, residents understand economic issues better because they directly affect their livelihood in the short run. Therefore, to set realistic localized goals, baselines must reflect residents' short and long-term requirements. Furthermore, by focusing on the top three problems of the locality, other problems are either directly or indirectly addressed. To create a similar strategy in other cities, a back-casting Theory of Change was adopted to propose a methodology for implementation.     

The effects of critical peak pricing for electricity demand management on home-based trip generation

This paper examines electricity critical peak pricing (CPP) as a measure for controlling electricity demand at critical peak times. This pricing scheme is designed to facilitate energy conservation not only inside but also outside the home. For this study, we surveyed consumer propensity to leave the home under CPP schemes and analyzed the impact of CPP on consumer cost. The results indicated that higher prices induce a higher rate of going out, while residential conditions such as population density and access to public transportation have a relatively small impact on leaving the home and average energy conservation. However, this is not always the case for aged households with limited mobility; residential conditions have a substantial effect on this segment of the population. Combined with a reduced ability to go out, electricity pricing has a greater negative impact on aged people. These results imply that improving accessibility through transportation development and urban compaction is an effective means of saving electricity alleviating the negative impact of CPP on the aged society of the future.     

A methodology to increase driver trust in rear-obstacle warning systems with imperfect sensing results — Proposal for a warning system using sensor reliability information

Driver's workload tends to be increased during driving under complicated traffic environments like lane-changing operation. In such cases, rear collision warning is effective for reduction of cognitive workload. On the other hand, it is pointed out that false alarm or missing alarm caused by sensor errors leads to decrease of driver trust in the warning system and it can result in low efficiency of the system. Suppose that sensor reliability information is provided in real-time. In this paper, we propose a novel warning method to increase driver trust in the system even with low sensor reliability by utilizing sensor reliability information. We investigate the effectiveness of the warning methods in high and low workload situations by driving simulator experiments.     

Measuring the impact of urban policies on transportation energy saving using a land use-transport model

Various projects all over the world are attempting to build smart cities in hopes of achieving energy-efficient and livable communities, but most of them are aiming to fulfill their goals technologically. However, the energy efficiency and livability of a city are affected by not only these technological factors but also urban structures that encompass residential areas, offices, transportation networks, and other facilities. Urban policies intervene in transportation and land-use conditions and thereby change how citizens consume energy and go about their daily lives as the actors in the urban system alter their behavior. This means that energy efficiency and quality of life share close ties. Assessments of urban policies thus need to consider the reactions of actors to the intervention.     

具有磁性阻尼功能的线性发电机的研发

介绍了日本使用零相电流控制、具有磁性阻尼功能的线性发电机的研发和试验概况。     

Mobility as a service for road traffic safety in a high use of motorcycle environment

Mobility as a service is expected to contribute to a safer, more efficient and sustainable transport by putting the right modes in the right places and connecting them intermodally. The aim of mobility as a service in a local context (MaaS-LC) is to build safety awareness and enhance road traffic safety, and it was developed by combining both a Safety Index and a Walkability Index. The Safety Index was derived from traffic accidents and volume data while the Walkability Index is the result of connections and places in the surroundings. As a case study, a trial experiment was conducted in Phuket, Thailand, which depicted the characteristics of the South and Southeast Asia region. The results showed that the usability and useful information on the MaaS-LC application could influence and change the travel behavior of people. Moreover, the difference between transit users and private vehicle users was how they considered walkability. This study concluded that this app could raise people's safety awareness. Nonetheless, it has yet to show an influence on people regarding their choices of transportation.     

Experimental Study of System Optimization for Suppression of Vehicle Vibration

The improvements of ride comfort and vehicle maneuverability in the vehicle design can be achieved by using an active suspension. However, the problems in such a control are the complex control logic because of the control laws incompatible with the improvements of ride comfort and maneuverability, and the cost increase because of various sensors to be attached. Therefore, we examined the control abilities of ride comfort and maneuverability on a unique control law using frequency shaped LQ, and controlled the characteristic of the contact between tire and road without a road displacement sensor     

A video-based approach to promote safe driving among foreign visitors to Japan

Recently, the demand for car rentals has been increasing at tourist destinations in Japan due to their convenience and the high degree of freedom they offer. On the other hand, there is a problem of a dramatic rise in the number of traffic accidents involving drivers from countries with different traffic customs and cultures from Japan. In order to examine measures to reduce the traffic accident risk of foreign drivers visiting Japan, an animation video to promote safe driving was created and its educational effects were tested in this article. First, through a driving survey of foreigners and a review of preceding studies, we identified information on Priority, Speed, and Comprehension (PSC) that must be learned by foreign visitors to reduce their accident risk. Next, drawing from the technique of branded contents in order to enhance the effects of educational videos, we created a short video that conveys the PSC philosophy that should be understood for safe driving in Japan. We then tested the educational effects of the video by conducting a survey of Taiwanese people. The results show that strengthening the video's appeal leads to improvements in educational effects and therefore safety awareness. We also realized that the effect was particularly significant among young people in their twenties. Lastly, the rent-a-car businesses evaluated the videos and basing on their input, we summarized effective ways for foreign rent-a-car users visiting Japan to use the video.